Hammer safety for firearms

ABSTRACT

AN ACCESSIBLE &#34;SAFETY&#34; IS PROVIDED IN A HAMMER OF A FIREARM WHEREIN SAID HAMMER IS EXPOSED FOR MANIPULATION, WHEREBY ALTERNATE BLOCKING AND FIRING POSITIONS OF THE SAFETY ARE READILY ACCOMPLISHED AS CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE. IN THE SAFETIED CONDITION, THE SAFETY IS POSITIONED TO BLOCK ENTRY OF THE FIRING PIN THROUGH THE FRAME BY ESTABLISHING AN ABUTMENT AT OR ABOUT THE PLACE OF ENTRY OF SAID PIN THROUGH SAID FRAME. IN THE FIRING CONDITION, THE SAFETY IS POSITIONED TO PERMIT ENTRY OF THE FIRING PIN THROUGH THE FRAME, BY REMOVING SAID ABUTMENT FROM SAID PLACE OF ENTRY. THE SAFETY IS MANUALLY MOVABLE BETWEEN ALTERNATE POSITIONS, BEING HELD IN ALTERNATE &#34;SAFE&#34; AND &#34;FIRE&#34; POSI-   TIONS BY DETENT MEANS. A FEATURE IS DURABILITY WHICH INVOLVES A HARDENED SAFETY ELEMENT THAT IS MOVABLE AND THAT SEATS DIRECTLY IN THE HAMMER.

Dec. 7, 1971 G. H. WORRALL. SR 3,624,947

HAMMER SAFETY FOR FIREARMS Filed June 25, 1969 5 4/ i /1 W 8/ f l 40 United States Patent US. Cl. 42-66 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An accessible safety is provided in a hammer of a firearm wherein said hammer is exposed for manipulation, whereby alternate blocking and firing positions of the safety are readily accomplished as circumstances require. In the safetied condition, the safety is positioned to block entry of the firing pin through the frame by establishing an abutment at or about the place of entry of said pin through said frame. In the firing condition, the safety is positioned to permit entry of the firing pin through the frame, by removing said abutment from said place of entry. The safety is manually movable between alternate positions, being held in alternate safe and fire positions by detent means. A feature is durability which invol-ves a hardened safety element that is movable and that seats directly in the hammer.

Firearms with exposed hammers are unique with respect to adaptability to manual control. That is, the hammers are adapted to be cocked by hand and they are also adapted to be released by hand withoutfiring of a cartridge in the firearm chamber. Although the present invention is applicable to all types of exposed firearm hammers, it is especially adapted to those hammers which revolve upon an axis through an arc to carry or to strike a firing pin carried through an opening in a frame and into impact engagement upon a cartridge. Hammers of the type under consideration vary widely in configuration and are characterized by a front face that stops against the frame so as to limit the maximum travel of the firing pin, and are also characterized by a rearwardly projecting horn, usually knurled, that is manually engageable as by a persons thumb to be pulled backward for cocking (also releasing). Thus, it is the upper extremity of the hammer which is naturally engaged by the person handling the firearm, and it is an object of this invention to provide the safety in this naturally engageable area of the said hammer. Therefore, the safety of the present invention is provided in the hammer, is carried thereby, and operates as directly as it is possible in perfecting a reliable abutment that virtually prevents firing when in its safe position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety positioned on and carried by and with the hammer of the firearm and movable relative thereto into two alternate positions where it is releasably held by substantial friction that is manually overcome as desired, to move the same into said alternate positions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a safety of the character above referred to and wherein there is a movable safety element, preferably rotatable and in the nature of a cam, that is directly shifted by manipulation and which seats directly in the hammer at and independent of the firing pin.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a safety to be positioned safe for preventing impact of the firing pin with the primer of a cartridge, that is not subject to deflections in the parts involved. Safeties have been devised wherein elongated parts and levers are involved and which can deflect when subject to forces as may be caused by abuse and/or by dropping or by imice pacts with other objects. With the present invention there is no part subject to bending moments to adversely affect the safe condition.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a safety having all of the features hereinabove and to be described, which does not encumber the firearm and whereby conventional and replica firearms can be manufactured without destroying their authenticity except for meeting the requirement that a firearm shall have a safety. Further, with the present invention it is an object to make it feasible to replace or modify any existing hammer of a firearm, so as to include therein the safety herein disclosed.

The various objects and features of this invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of the typical preferred form and application thereof, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical firearm incorporating the hammer safety. FIGS. 2 and 3 are enlarged detailed views (actual size as printed) showing the safety installation in the hammer and taken as indicated by lines 22 and 33 on FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the firearm shown in FIG. 1, illustrating the safety in the hammer and in the safe position. FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the safety in the fire position.

Firearms including rifles and hand guns, employ hammers that are biased and then released by a trigger mechanism to move a firing pin into impact engagement upon a primer or cap in a cartridge. The cartridge is loaded with explosive that is ignited by the detonation of the primer when subject to impact, and 'due to the refined design of the firing pin and cartridge relationship, including all the related parts and. mechanisms, firing of the cartridge is almost an abs olute certainty when the firing pin strikes the cartridge, whether deliberate or by accident as for example by jarring or by dropping of the gun etc. In order to preclude acidental firing, whether caused by deliberate pulling of the trigger or by any involuntary act or occurrence, firearms are provided with a safety which is customarily incorporated in the frame and which of course requires accommodating features in said frame. Frame modification is not always practical, especially with guns that are already fabricated and/or in use, and the redesign of frame features is not always feasible. Therefore, it is the hammer per se and only the hammer which is made or modified to incorporate the features of the present invention, the remaining gun elements including the frame remaining intact and unaltered as they are presently or will be manufactured. Accordingly, the present invention involves, generally, a safety S incorporated in and carried by the hammer H of the firearm F.

A typical firearm F is illustrated in the drawings, a hand gun in the form of a revolver wherein the hammer H carries the safety S. Guns of the type and form shown involve, fundamentally, a frame A carrying a barrel B, and a cylinder C is journaled on a pin (not shown) to sequentially revolve its chambers 11 into alignment with said barrel. The grip 12 supports the frame through a trigger guard 13 and back strap 14 which assemble and combine with the frame to accommodate a main spring 15, the trigger 16 and its mechanisms, and the cylinder stop 17 and its mechanisms. The assembly and operation of the firearm F can follow the usual practices, it being the hammer H which is the characteristic feature that is now employed to advantage, said hammer being pivotally carried in the frame A on a transverse axis located at or below the lowermost periphery of the cylinder C and projecting from the back wall 20 and back strap 14 to carry a firing pin P at or near its upper portion. The firing pin P can be integral with or a separate part secured in the hammer as shown, and the pin P projects forwardly in. alignment with the active chamber 11 and barrel B when the hammer is brought into the striking or impact position. The firearm F or gun remains normal and conventional in every respect, there being no change in its construction and little or no change in the design or configuration of the hammer H, except as follows:

The hammer H remains intact and of the same over-all configuration corresponding to the gun design in which this safety S is incorporated as shown, the hammer is pivotally carried on a screw 21 fixed through the frame and comprises a body 22 surrounding the screw, an arm 23 projecting radially and generally upwardly from the body, and a head 24 at the outer and upper end of the arm. The parts 22, 23 and 24 are integral and a horn thumb-piece 25 projects rearwardly from the head 24 and with a convex upper contour terminating in a knurled tip 26 suitable for manual thumb engagement. The body 22 has a rearwardly disposed lever with a roller 27 that rides on the main spring to bias the hammer H so that it revolves its head 24 in a forward direction toward the back wall of the frame. An opening 28 extends through the wall 20 on an axis to receive and pass the firing pin P, so that the tip of the pin can enter the chamber 11 and strike the primer of the cartridge (see FIG. 5). The body 22 also includes other features such as steps operable to hold and release the hammer as governed by the trigger 1'6 and its mechanisms, and such as a cam to actuate the cylinder stop 17 and associated cylinder advancing and positioning mechanisms.

In accordance with the present invention, the safety S is incorporated in and carried by the head 24 radially outward of and adjacent to the firing pin P. The safety involves a single movable safety element 34 that shifts between alternate positions, a safe position as shown in FIG. 4 and a fire position as shown in FIG. S. Broadly, the said single safety element 34 moves between said alternate positions, as for example through a rectilinear path (not shown) or through a rotary path as it is shown. That is, said safety element shifts an abutment into and out of position between the front face 30 of the hammer head 24 and rear face 31 of the frame wall 20. Accordingly, the safety includes mounting means 35 shiftably securing the primary element 34 to the hammer head 24, and positioning means 36 releasably retaining the safety element 34 in said alternate positions. In the event that the shifting of the element 34 is reciprocal, the direction of movement will be transverse of the axis of the firing pin P, chamber 11 and barrel B. In the preferred form the shifting of the safety element 34 is rotative and wherein the periphery of the element 34 moves transversely of and at the front face 30 of the hammer head 24. -In practice, the axis of rotation is horizontal as well as transverse, in which case the periphery of the element 34 moves upwardly or downwardly at the front face 30 of the head 24. The safety element 34 is in the form of a manually engageable wheel having a cam-shaped periphery with a depressed portion 40 for positioning at or behind the front face 30 of head 24, and with a raised portion 41 for positioning substantially ahead of the front face 30 of head 24.

In carrying out the invention the mounting means 35 secures the safety element 34 in the head 24 at or adjacent to the firing pin P and radially outside thereof at the upper portion of said head. The head is cylindrically recessed and/or truncated so as to open at the front face 30 and so as to present a forwardly faced seat machined to the radius of the raised portion 41 of the safety element 34. A feature of the invention is that the mounting means 35 comprises a shoulder screw 43, or the like, that remains clear of the bore 44 through the element 34 when the periphery of the element engages upon the seat 45.

In the particular gun illustrated'the front face 30 of the hammer head 24 strikes and is arrested by the rear face 31 of the frame wall 20, thereby limiting the depth of penetration of the firing pin P into the primer of the cartridge 48. It is this depth of penetration which must be limited or restricted in order to safety the gun, and to this end the safety element 34 is flattened on a chord line extending between the extremities of the raised portion 41 in order to establish the depressed portion 40, the depth of the depressed portion being such as to bring the plane 47 thereof into coincidence with the front face 30 when the element 34 is in the fire position. In practice, the chord plane 47 of portion 40 extends through about 90 while the periphery 46 of portion 41 extends through about 270. Consequently, the safety element 34 is rotatable to two alternate positions, a safe position shown in FIG. 4 where the front face 30 of the hammer head 24 is held positively separated from the frame face 31, and where the firing pin P is retracted out of the chamber 11, and a fire position shown in FIG. 5 where the face 30 is permitted to strike the face 31 to be arrested thereby and to permit the firing pin P to impact upon, indent into and fire a cartridge 48 in the chamber .11.

The positioning means 36 is provided to limit the rotative motion of the safety element 34 to the two extreme alternate positions above described. Means 36 is a cam or like means and preferably a detent means that permits limited rotative movement of the element 34, it being found that less than 90 motion is advantageous and for example about motion is found to be most practical, as shown, there is a single detent pin 38 biased by a compression spring 39 carried in the head 24 of the hammer and operable against a concentric surface 50 in the element 34. The surface 50 extends between apposed radially disposed shoulders 51 and 52 that limit the rotative motion, there being detented recesses 5.3 and 54 in surface 50 at each shoulder, respectively, to receive the detent pin 38 and thereby retain the element 34 in either of the two alternate positions that may be manually selected as circumstances require.

From the foregoing it will be seen that it is not only feasible but extremely practical to mount the safety ele ment 34 in the upper portion of the hammer head 24, at or adjacent to the firing pin P. The cam-shaped element 34 is basically cylindrical in configuration, having an outer diameter wall 55 that seats onto an inner diameter wall of the seat 45. The raised portion 41 is preferably a flange that projects radially from the outer diameter wall 55 and with its periphery concentric and adapted to be accommodated in and/or seated in a semi-annular chamber 57 in the seat 45. When the safety element 34 is stopped by the shoulder 52, the foremost extremity of the periphery 46 is Well below the point of impact and/or engagement with the rear face 31 of the wall 20 (see FIG. 4), said periphery 46 remaining smooth through a sub stantial portion of its circumference for this engagement. In practice, the remaining and rearmost portion of the periphery 46 is knurled in order to facilitate manual revolvement of the safety element. In carrying out the invention, the said safety element'34 is made from a tough material such as tool-steel which can behardened and which will not be deformed when subjected to the sharp and relatively severe impacts which can be expected through the ordinary handling of the firearm, including dry-firing and the like.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A safety for a firearm having an exposed hammer and wherein there is a frame carrying the hammer from a cocked position to a position engaged and arrested by the frame and normally engaging and shifting a firing pin to indent and thereby detonate a primer chambered in the frame, and including a manually accessible cylinder element rotatably carried on the hammer by mounting means and to be moved from a safe position with its periphery interposed between the hammer and frame to a fire position with its periphery removed from between the hammer and frame, and positioning means releasably securing said cylinder element in either position, and said cylinder element arresting the hammer and thereby preventing indention of the firing pin into the primer when the said cylinder element is in the said safe position.

2. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 1 and wherein the said manually accessible cylinder element is positioned in the hammer adjacent to the firing pin.

3. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mounting means comprises a seat in the hammer, and wherein said manually accessible cylinder element is complementary to and shiftably engaged upon said seat.

4. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 1, wherein the manually accessible cylinder element is rotatably shiftable and held onto the hammer by means of a pin.

5. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mounting means comprises a semi-cylindrical seatin the hammer and opposing the frame and engageably receiving the said cylinder element.

6. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 1, wherein the manually accessible cylinder element is rotatably shiftable and held onto the hammer by means of a concentric pin, and wherein the mounting means comprises a semicylindrical seat in the hammer and opposing the frame and engageably receiving the said cylinder element independent of said pin.

7. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 1, wherein the positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylinder element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and engaging into spaced recesses in the said cylinder element to alternately position the same.

8. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 1, wherein the manually accessible cylinder element is rotatably held onto the hammer by means of a concentric pin, wherein the mounting means comprises a semi-cylindrical seat in the hammer and opposing the frame and engageably receiving the said cylinder element independent of said pin, and wherein the positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylinder element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and engaging into rotatably spaced recesses in the said cylinder element to alternately position the same.

9. A safety for a firearm having an exposed hammer and wherein there is a frame carrying the hammer from a cocked position to a position engaged and arrested by the frame and normally engaging and shifting a firing pin to indent and thereby detonate a primer chambered in the frame, and including a semi-cylindrical recess in the hammer adjacent to the firing pin and opening toward the frame, a manually accessible cylindrical element rotatably carried by mounting means in said recess and having a raised peripheral portion to be rotated from a safe position extended from said recess and interposed between the hammer and frame to a fire position retracted into said recess and removed from between the hammer and frame, and positioning means releasably securing said element in alternate rotative positions, and said raised peripheral portion of the element arresting the hammer and thereby preventing indention of the firing pin into the primer when the said element is in the said safe position.

10. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9 and wherein the said manually accessible cylindrical element is disposed on an axis transverse of the hammer motion.

11. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein the mounting means rotatably holds the manually accessible cylindrical element to the hammer with radial clearance therebetween, and wherein the manually accessible cylindrical element is independently seated in said recess.

12. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein the manually accessible cylindrical element comprises a radial flange forming said raised portion, the radial flange having a chord section removed and thereby forming a depressed portion, and said depressed portion permitting normal indention of the firing pin when the said cylindrical element is in the said fire position.

13. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein "the positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylindrical element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and engaging into spaced recesses in the said element to alternately position the same.

14. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein the manually accessible cylindrical element is rotatable, and wherein the positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylindrical element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and engaging into rotatably spaced recesses in the said cylindrical element to alternately position the same.

15. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein the manually accessible cylindrical element is rotatably held onto the hammer by means of a concentric pin, and wherein the mounting means comprises a semi-cylindrical seat in the hammerand opposing the frame and engageably receiving the said cylindrical element independent of said pin, and wherein the positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylindrical element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and engaging into rotatably spaced recesses in the said cylindrical element to alternately position the same.

16. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein the positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylindrical element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and operable in a semi-annular opening in said element to engage circumferentially spaced and opposed shoulders therein and engaging into spaced recesses at each shoulder respectively to alternately position said cylindrical element.

17. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein the manually accessible cylindrical element is rotatable, and wherein the positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylindrical element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and operable in a semiannular opening in said element to engage circumferentially spaced and opposed shoulders therein and engaging into rotatably spaced recesses in the said cylindrical element to alternately position the same.

18. The hammer safety as set forth in claim 9, wherein the manually accessible cylindrical element is rotatably held onto the hammer by means of a concentric pin having radial clearance therewith and wherein said positioning means alternately positioning the manually accessible cylindrical element comprises a detent carried in the hammer and operable in a. semi-annular opening in said cylindrical element to engage circumferentially spaced and opposed shoulders therein and engaging into rotatably spaced recesses in the said cylindrical element to alternately position the same.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,152 1/1911 Marble 42-70.6

FOREIGN PATENTS 11,418 5/1912 Great Britain 42--70.6

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner C. T. JORDAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 42-70 F 

